Top 25 Most Influential Consultants 2001 -#21: Duncan Craig, 50, Vice President, A.T. Kearney, London

When A.T. Kearney sings the praises of its consultants at Rolls Royce, one person in particular often comes to mind  —  Duncan Craig. Fifteen years after he first entered consulting, the soft-spoken Craig today oversees the account which, perhaps above all others, validates the EDS/Kearney five-year-old nuptial.

With a joint contract shared by EDS and Kearney, it's been up to Craig to make sure the EDS/Kearney team satisfies the demands of their shared client — a responsibility Craig appears to have fulfilled in light of the recent decision by Rolls to extend the contract another 12 years.
"[This partnership] is a demonstration that it does work," says Craig. "I think we have demonstrated in Rolls Royce that it is possible to work very closely together … because you can create your own team, your own set of dynamics, motivated with common goals and direction …"
Rolls Royce plc, with over $8 billion in revenue last year, is the second-largest aircraft engine maker in the world, trailing only the General Electric Company. In 2000, Rolls decided to extend its successful technology, services, and consulting relationship with EDS, and the new contract will provide them with global information technology services and business solutions covering e-business, consulting, and supply chain management.
For his part, Craig has worked with ten different clients during his 15 years at Kearney, in industries ranging from oil and gas to paper manufacture. And during all his time as a consultant, he has had only one regret — missing his family growing up. "What you do end up with is a family relationship which benefits from the consulting life," says Craig. "You have got a slightly higher disposable income and have wider experiences and different tales to tell. If there's one thing you need, it's to maintain the balance between family and work."